


rain makes the best coffee creamer

by distancing_reality



Category: Avatar: The Last Airbender
Genre: Co-workers, Coffee, Crush, F/M, Friendship, Like, Modern AU, Office AU, Rain, can i think of any exciting tags?, car-pooling, city scape, early morning, friendly katara, gloomy zuko, hella aesthetic, mention of protective sokka, one-sided, running late, very chill and sleepy vibes, whut tags tho?
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-09-04
Updated: 2020-09-04
Packaged: 2021-03-06 16:48:51
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,330
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26282188
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/distancing_reality/pseuds/distancing_reality
Summary: grey rain, coffee creamer, her sweet laugh.Zuko tries not to let his gaze linger, but he can't help adoring her.
Relationships: Katara/Zuko (Avatar)
Comments: 6
Kudos: 43





	rain makes the best coffee creamer

Grey rain trickled down from the dull sky outside the window. While the lights in the small kitchen were off, the room was bathed in the gloomy glow from outside. There was a neat stove top and a quaint counter with two cupboards above and below in that kitchen, as well as a plain yet serviceable sink. A good foot away from the utilities sat a small table. It was round, pushed up against the window and had two matching chairs. In one of those chairs sat a frowning young man.

Arms crossed over his chest, Zuko surveyed the grey buildings outside. She was late. He tapped his fingers lightly against his elbow to the tune of a miscellaneous song that had been playing on repeat in his head since yesterday. Glancing down at his watch, he let out a quick puff of air: it was five past seven.

Outside the rain was still drizzling down morosely, no fog. It was bleak out, but clear. From the countertop came a chirpy beeping. Three beeps. His small kitchen smelled pungently of strongly brewed coffee. The smell was overpowering burnt: like roasted nuts that had been left for too long.

He inhaled deeply.

Roughly rubbing his face, fingers digging into his sleepless shadow ringed eyes, he bent toward the table yawning. A rapid ratatat came through the door and a key rattled in a lock.

On the other side a faint voice could be heard. "Zuko?"

“Here." His voice was soft, a little horse.

The lock clicked audibly, and the doorknob turned. Visibly surprised, Katara poked her head around the door face flushed from the cool rainy morning. Her scarf was wrapped loosely around her neck yet her heavy winter coat was zipped all the way up.

“Were you waiting for me?”

“Yes.”

“Traffic.” She said.

Katara shut the door behind her and shoved the key into a pocket. She moved to the counter, cradling a brown paper grocery bag in her arms, and reached in to fumble for something.

“I stopped to get creamer. I know you're out.”

“I don't drink it.”

He stood up to stretch, covering another large yawn with the back of his hand.

“I do.”

Amused, he tried to straighten his expression.

“Did you brew the coffee already?”

“It's there.” He gestured to the pot on the counter. “I don't drink that either.”

“Don't be contrary, Zuko, you know you do.”

He moved to join her, opening the top left cabinet and pulled down two mugs. “You're right, I do sometimes.”

Katara chuckled lightly. “I wouldn't carpool with you if you didn't.” and muttered in a good-natured way, “.... ornery…. couldn't stand it….”

His hands were steady as he pulled the pot of coffee from the stand and poured the dark steaming liquid into the two mugs. While he poured, Katara produced a tall carton of half and half from the bag. Twisting the cap so that the seal popped, she splashed an impressive amount into one of the mugs. She paused, leaning to look at the now light brown drink, and added about a tablespoon more. 

“Want some?”

“I don't drink that stuff.”

She wrinkled her nose at him, “It's good for you.”

“Nothing can be good for you in huge amounts like that.”

She simply cupped the mug in her hands and carried it carefully to the table.

Zuko watched her go. His eyes lingered but he quickly looked away. “Sugar?”

She glanced back at him, “None for me thank you.”

“Oh?”

“Not anymore. I'm trying to lose the last few Holiday poun…” She trailed off sheepishly. 

The corners of his mouth were starting to quirk up again. “Good, I doubt I have any. Sokka used it the last time he visited.”

“When??”

“Right before Christmas weekend.”

“He was here Friday??”

“Apparently your generous brother thinks I need checking up on. I don't think he likes me.”

Through a mouthful of hot coffee she frowned, “What was the sugar for?”

“Cookies I think. Though they didn't resemble them much by the time he was done.”

Katara laughed a full, long laugh, eyes crinkling at the corners. The real quality of it sent a warm flush from his neck to his toes. Grabbing the second mug, he hurried over to join her. She had chosen the chair he had recently vacated, so he sat in the other one. It had an unbelievably loud rickety leg and it creaked as he settled in.

Swallowing another mouthful of the scalding coffee, she leaned to the side and slipped an arm out of her coat. Zuko blew softly on the steaming surface of his mug.

Katara had already drained half of hers yet she leaned the other way to extract her other arm. “It’s a little hot in here.” He fixed her with a reproachful stare but she simply widened her eyes, “Are you still not dressed? You don't want us to be late do you!”

He choked indignantly on his first sip of coffee, blinking at her. “Was I late to get here?”

“No. But you didn’t think to get dressed so we would be able to leave when I did?”

She made a good point, why wasn’t he dressed yet? Why was today dragging like this? Why had last night felt like a thousand years?

He went to his room and shrugged on a dark button-up and some dress slacks. It'd have to do. Who ironed their shirts anyway? As he passed the mirror back out into the kitchen, he paused. The dark circles were worse than usual. Much. He repressed a sigh, brushing bangs from his nose, avoiding the gloom seeping from his weary eyes. 

When he returned, she was sitting still: staring out the window at the dismal cityscape. The mug of coffee was raised up to her mouth resting on her closed lips. Katara looked thoughtful.

Over on the stove sat a small kitchen clock, it read half past seven. They would be late if they didn't hurry. Yet he didn't want to disturb her.

He coughed lightly and she turned quickly to look at him.

She sighed wistfully, “I love rain.”

“It makes me think of you.”

“What?

He shook his head.

Katara set the cup down on the wooden table carefully. “Are you ready to go?”

Zuko nodded. He moved to the door as she grabbed her coat. He pulled his down from the hook and shrugged it on. 

Her hand stroked the arm, “This is so soft!”

His gaze caught in her hair, it looked soft too. And freshly washed. He couldn't look away. He wanted to reach out and run his fingers through those soft, clean curls

“Is something wrong?”

“Hmmm?”

She peered up into his face. “Are you alright?”

“I'm fine.” His mouth quirked into a lopsided shape, and his hand raised to scratch the side of his neck. “We're going to be late you know.”

She spun to check the clock and her eyebrows shot up, “We are.”

By the time they had exited the building and reached her car it had started to rain in earnest. Water streamed from the overcast sky, droplets fell and rolled down his skin. She spun in a circle the free hand not holding keys extended out to catch stray drops. Zuko shivered, his shoulders hunched in to avoid what water he could and an uncomfortable frown had replaced his tired droopy eyes.

“Is this fun for you?” His voice had recovered it's scratchy, low quality.

Katara shook her head, curls bouncing freely, and replied. “Not exactly fun, just refreshing!”

He shook his head but opened the passenger's door. Under his breath, he said, “I don't understand but…”

“Hmm?” She ducked into the driver's seat brows politely raised.

“Nothing. Just… uh rain.”

Frowning sideways at him, she inserted the key into the ignition and the car rumbled to life underneath them. “... alright.”

The car pulled out of the parking lot as rain fell.

**Author's Note:**

> this is part of a larger au in my head. maybe someday I'll expand it. thank you for reading you lovely person you. I love and appreciate you. mwah.


End file.
